Warning: Spoilers
Silent Hill 3 carries the precedent set by the last two games in stride; a creepy must have for both fans of the series and those just looking for a cerebral scare. This iteration doesn't do much to change the game in the slightest; the controls are still clunky yet somehow leaps and bounds above its RE cousin, and the enemy variety is once again extremely lacking. The scares again are beautifully subtle, the winner here being the ever-present sense of dread that stands out even in moments of silence. The graphics are similar to Silent Hill 2's yet containing a level of polish that helps it hold up even to this day. The plot actually succeeds in being the first of the series to attempt to somewhat explain the nature of the town seen in the original game, creating a good mix of the cult plot of the original,and the sexual imagery of the second. The characters are all likable here, despite the dialogue being all over the place. Heather grows on you; she is one of the toughest, most unique female video game characters I have yet to see, and her performance picks up as the game continues, however sidekick and second-most seen character Douglas unfortunately sounds like he is in some kind of bizarre trance. It should be mentioned that the game is extremely short compared to the last two, and most games for that matter; however there are some exciting, easily accessible extras to keep you coming back. All in all, this game is one of the last good bastions of the classic ps-ps2 survival horror era, one that should be picked up by anyone who is a fan of the series or the genre.